Hornady Ammunition 180 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Ammo Details

This is 40 S&W Hornady 180gr. XTP Hollow Point Ammo. XTP bullets are famous for their ability to expand reliably across a wide range of velocities. The XTP bullet was specially built to withstand incredible velocities, and still deliver controlled expansion and weight retention. Special features in the nose facilitate and control expansion on impact. XTP bullets consistently deliver the deep, Extreme terminal penetration needed for one-shot kills. The XTP is one of the most accurate pistol bullets ever made. This ammo comes packed in 20rd. boxes, 10 boxes per case.

Ballistic Gel Testing

As you hunt for the best self-defense 40 Smith & Wesson ammo, we thought you might enjoy seeing the results
of some testing we recently conducted with calibrated Clear Ballistics gelatin.

We shot five of these Hornady Ammunition rounds through a four-layer cloth barrier using a
S&W M&P40c. The results are detailed in the video you see above as well as the photographs.
Through the charts, you should get a great idea how this Hornady Ammunition ammo stacked up relative
to other 40 Smith & Wesson ammo products available to American shooters.

To get a better sense of our tests, be sure to check out all the protocols we followed when
conducting our tests to determine the
best self-defense ammo.

Unfired versus Fired Round Comparison

How do the results for this Hornady Ammunition 40 Smith & Wesson compare to other 40 S&W?

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When Was the .40 S&W Created?

In the world of firearms, the .40 S&W is actually a fairly new cartridge. It was created in 1990 after an infamous shootout between two bank robbers and eight FBI agents. Two agents lost their lives in a gun battle that saw the law enforcement personnel heavily outgunned. Despite being hit by the agents, the bank robbers were able to continue fighting, although they were eventually killed by law enforcement. In the aftermath, the FBI commissioned the production of a powerful cartridge with manageable recoil, giving law enforcement stopping power while allowing for accurate secondary shots. With this goal in mind, the .40 S&W was born.

What Does the “S&W” Mean?

“S&W” stands for Smith & Wesson, the company that was primarily responsible for creating the cartridge. It is common practice, dating back to the 1800’s, to have companies put their names on ammunition. This is seen in rounds like the .223 Remington, .270 Winchester, and 9mm Luger.

How Does the .40 S&W Compare to the 9mm Luger?

While these two cartridges are often compared, due mostly to the overall popularity of both, they are distinctly different products. The biggest difference is size: .40 S&W is noticeably larger than 9mm Luger ammo and has a wider bullet and neck diameter. They do, however, have similar overall lengths. Because of the wider diameters, the .40 S&W generally has higher stats for power.

Is a 10mm Auto the Same as a .40 S&W?

No. While these two cartridges are similar in diameters, they are different in overall length. They both have bullet diameters of .4 inches, but the 10mm Auto has a longer overall length. The result is that the 10mm Auto generally fires at a faster speed and has more power compared to the .40 S&W, assuming the cartridges are loaded with similar bullets. The .40 S&W, however, has lighter recoil. In fact, it was designed to have a forceful impact with lighter recoil, which makes for accurate followup shots.

What Type of .40 S&W Ammo Should I Purchase?

That depends on the purpose for your ammunition. If you are using the cartridges for target practice or competition, you will likely want full metal jacket rounds, which cycle with greater ease and leave less fouling in the barrel. On the other hand, if you are loading your weapon for self defense, you will want expanding rounds, such as jacketed hollow points or jacketed soft-nose bullets.